Meningococcal Vaccines It Causes Serious Infection of The Thin Layers of Connective Tissue Surrounding The Brain and Spinal Cord Called the Meninges

Meningococcal disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is a life threatening condition which severely infects the meninges or the thin lining surrounding the brain and the spinal cord. Five out of many serogroups of the bacterium are responsible for the invasive meningococcal disease. These serogroups are predominantly present only in humans in the dormant state and may eventually cause the diseased condition due to environmental or immunogenic factors. The disease is known to be contagious and its consequences can be fatal within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms. Prevalence of the serogroups responsible for the disease varies with age, time and geographical locations. The global market for meningococcal vaccines was valued at USD 1,537.3 million in 2013 and is expected to reach USD 4,450.4 million in 2022 at a CAGR of 12.4 % from 2014 - 2022.

The global meningococcal vaccines market is segmented broadly into polysaccharide, conjugate, combination and Men B vaccines. These vaccine types are further segmented into different brands available in the market. Polysaccharide vaccines is the oldest type available in market since last three decades. However, the presence and widespread use of conjugate vaccines has drastically reduced the incidences of bacterial meningitis due to the prolonged immunity achieved against the disease-causing serogroups, unlike polysaccharide vaccines which provide immunity for a very short period. Combination vaccines against invasive meningococci in combination with other organisms such as pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae type B are considered as new weapons to fight against two bacterial infections. This has shown to reduce the number of injections needed to be administered when compared to their individual doses.

Recently approved Men B vaccines include Bexsero by Novartis, and Trumenba by Pfizer. The U.S. FDA approved Bexsero in January 2015 and Trumenba in October 2014. In January 2013, Novartis received marketing authorization for Bexsero as the only vaccine against serogroup B, across the European Union, Canada and Australia, and has been currently filed for U.S. FDA licensure. The notable pipeline conjugate vaccine against meningococcal disease includes NmVac4-DT by JN International Medical Corporation. NmVac4 DT has been developed against the broad range of (quadrivalent) serogroups A, C, Y and W-135. Moreover, JN- International claims the vaccine to be animal component free, which is expected to be the major driver for its demand post market launch.

Major growth drivers for the global meningococcal vaccines market include favourable public-private partnerships to support development of vaccines at low cost, and the medical emergency status of the disease. Increase in the demand for vaccines and also the number of people getting immunized has been majorly contributed to the education and awareness campaigns conducted by manufacturers as well as non-profit organizations in the developed economies. Government intervention such as approval of legislations to mandate immunization programs for school children up to a certain age, and stringent regulations for Hajj pilgrims and sub-Saharan travellers also contribute positively to this market due to increased demand for these vaccines from the non-profit organizations.

Geographically, North America is the largest market in terms of revenue in 2013. In North America and Europe, due to government intervention with respect to legislations, immunization programs and awareness campaigns incidences of meningitis have reduced to a large extent. According to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1,000 to 2,600 people contract meningococcal disease each year in the United States, whereas in Africa, it is estimated to be 1,000 cases per 100,000 population. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market followed by Rest of the World (RoW) during the forecast period. Factors driving the market in this region include the continuous growth in the population base, the cyclic occurrences of meningococcal disease outbreaks in past and the rising focus on preventive measure against the dreadful disease. The onset of recent trends such as enrolment of pharmacists in training programs conducted by New Zealand Ministry of Health is also contributing to the market growth.